Suze growls, “I knew you weren’t serious. As if you’d ever want to have my help in your bakery.” She stalks off, and both Noah and I share a perplexed glance.
“I’m sorry, Noah,” I say. “I’ll go talk to her. If Suze wants to help out at the bakery, I can certainly use her.” My hand rides over my belly as if to annunciate the fact.
“We can talk to her tomorrow after she’s had a chance to cool off.” He shrugs. “And you can sleep on the thought.”
Mom, Carlotta, and Keelie start chattering away about baby showers and hatchelorettte parties as our small circle slowly breaks up.
Lainey leans my way. “Nice touch trying to make the poor woman think she’s losing her mind on Valentine’s Day,” she teases. “But I saw you talking to her outside.”
“You did?” I inch back as I glance to Everett. “We must have walked by her on our way back in. It must have looked as if I was talking to her, and she overheard us.” But I don’t remember saying a word about the bakery out there, and I certainly don’t remember seeing Suze. I would have thought Suze’s mind was loosening at the seams if it weren’t for Lainey. And a part of me is sorry I ever said a word, because now it feels as if my mind is loosening at the seams.
“Hey”—Noah winks as he nudges me toward the middle of the room, which has quickly transformed into a dance floor—“how about a quick spin?”
I glance to Everett, and he gives a quick nod.
“Spin away,” he says. “I’ll grab a quick drink.”
Noah pulls me in close as we move together deep into the crowd of swirling bodies as the moody music blares from the speakers.
“Lottie Lemon, you are a vision.” He drinks me in with his eyes as he sweeps his gaze up and down my body.
“A vision with what looks to be a beach ball tucked under my dress. It feels like we’re six feet apart despite the fact my body is touching yours.” It’s true. Actually, it feels as if my belly is trying to embed itself into his hips.
The baby gives a swift kick, and both Noah and I share a warm laugh.
His chest expands with his next breath. “I still can’t wrap my head around the fact there’s an entire human being tucked in there.”
“You and me both,” I tell him. “And I’m the one that will have to push this sugar cookie out of my body. I won’t lie, Noah. The thought terrifies me.”
“I’m not thrilled for that part of the deal for you either, Lottie, but your body was designed to do that. And believe me, I find great comfort in that fact. We’re going to trust nature and Dr. Barnette, and most of all, we’re going to trust your body.”
“I’m going to trust the drugs.” I flash a quick smile his way. “And if you really want to get on my good side, you’ll make sure I get them in a timely manner.”
“Done deal.” He rumbles out a laugh.
Noah gives me a spin before daring to dip me just a notch, and we share another warm laugh as I come up before we stop all movement and laughter rather abruptly.
Cormack pops up, waving a pale blue notecard in Noah’s face.
“I just spoke to the committee,” Cormack snips his way. “And neither you nor Essex has bothered to RSVP!”
Noah winces. “I can’t speak for Everett, but that’s because I’m not going.”
And I have no clue what either of them is talking about.
“You’re going, Big Boss.” Cormack all but shoots him with those threatening daggers forming in her eyes. “Fallbrook Premier Academy doesn’t ask for much from you, but it asks this. And don’t you worry. I’ve already RSVP’d for the both of you. You’ll be my date, of course.” She reaches over to give Noah’s lapel a quick tug, and I don’t hesitate to smack her hand away. “It’s a high school class reunion for the ages, Lolita. You’ll be Essex’s date,” she snarls my way before batting her lashes over at Noah. “The invitation spells out when and where. I’ll see you there, and be prepared to dance the night away—with me.” She gives a sly wink before taking off.
“Wow,” I muse. “A high school reunion? It looks as if we have plans coming up.”
“No way.” Noah doesn’t mind doubling down on the fact he’s not going. “Believe me, it’s enough to see Everett every single day—with you no less. That’s all the high school reunion I need.”
“It’ll be fun,” I hear myself say it, but not even I believe it. I’ve met enough of his high school classmates to know it will be a bumpy ride through a socialite nightmare that I’m not even sure I want anything to do with.
“I’d much rather spend that night with you, doing exactly this.” He touches his forehead to mine—no small feat—until the music comes to an end and something far more upbeat starts to play.
We finish up our dance and make our way back toward the refreshment table where Everett stands noshing on one of my raspberry tarts.
Wiley steps up and begins asking Everett questions about his upcoming trial just as a supernatural lavender glow fills the entry to the conservatory.
I quickly excuse myself and follow that glow past the sea of raucous partygoers, all the way to an alcove just past the registration counter. The supernatural glow grows increasingly brighter until an all too familiar, an all too wonderful, woman materializes before me.
“Nell!” I wrap my arms around her, and she feels every bit solid. Even though Nell is my grandmother, I didn’t know it while she was alive, and that’s part of the reason I’ve never really called her Grandma. I pull back and take a look at the wrinkled cutie with eyes that match
